Words
by bethyl's songbird
Summary: Damon finds a battered, bloody and bruised young woman in the woods. And when he takes her back to the boarding house, his life will start to change around him, before even knows it.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but my OC: Who is faced by Lucy Hale.

**Author's Note: **To be honest I don't know why I even came up with this but eh. It's here. It's a Damon/OC and I hope ya'll enjoy! It's set in season 1, just after the Vamps get out of the tomb. This chapter might be a little short, but it's just a sample.

Outfits are on Polyvore.

* * *

><p><strong>Hell <strong>

He was wandering or that's what someone would call it, he of course wouldn't call it wandering, there wasn't much that he actually would call it but he was in the small patch of woods not too far from the Falls. His light blue eyes flickering across to every small ounce of movement that that caught his attention. It was the middle of the day, so there was no point in wondering what exactly had happened the night before but as he slowed to a stop, the smell drifted up his nose and his eyes narrowed. Stefan wasn't out here. He would be at school with his _precious _Elena. He followed the scent until he came across what looked like a heap of white clothes, covered in blood. It wasn't until he got closer that he heard the faintest heartbeat and he sighed.

"What now" He hissed to himself before he used his vampire speed to stop in front of the body.

He crouched down, to move the dark hair from the girl's face to see that she was bruised, and battered, and as much as it confused him, Damon didn't stop himself as he picked the battered and bloodied girl up off the ground but before he fully lifted her up, he listened and all he got was birds chirping and he picked her fully up, a whimper escaping the pale girl's lips as he did. He looked around before turning, and within seconds he was back in the Boarding House.

He listened before proceeding any further, just to make sure he couldn't hear Stefan or his beloved, Elena. Entering further he realized that nobody was there and he almost smirked, but the light whine that left the girls lips caught him off guard and he sped through the house, finding his own room, and taking her in, managing to open the door with ease. He went in and over to the large bed. He set her down, when he took notice that the blood was dry and the wounds weren't fresh. Damon couldn't wrap his mind around it, and as he took a step back to actually take a look at her, his eyes widened.

"Impossible" He whispered as he leans down, moving the hair from her face. "That's...impossible"

Damon couldn't believe his eyes and he looked around the room and blinked rapidly before his eyes narrowed. Was this some sort of cruel joke? Was this something else Elena and Stefan had come up with? Was this Elena's doing for him killing her mother? The rage built up and continued to build until he heard the heartbeat again. It couldn't be the same person, she had died. So many years ago. Before Katherine Pierce. Before he knew what love was. So it meant that she couldn't be here, she wasn't the one in front of him. But his curiosity got the better of him and Damon lifted up the tared shirt but the mark that she had, had wasn't there, it was just pale and bruised skin.

Which meant that this girl lying on his bed looked exactly like her. Almost the same as Elena did with Katherine. He rubbed a hand over his face and even against his better judgment he dialed the number in his phone.

"Hello?" His brother's voice came, it sounded surprised.

"You're not going to believe this" Damon said, his voice dangerously low.

* * *

><p>It had been an hour and Stefan still wasn't there and Damon was starting to become impatient, not knowing what to do. He stood in the parlor of the boarding house, whiskey in hand. Then again, Stefan probably didn't see this issue as important because Damon refused to talk about it over the phone. He stood silently, until he heard the frightened sound coming from elsewhere in the house. He sighed and he moved quickly, stopping just outside the door, as he heard muffled noises, and he rolled his eyes when he realized that it wasn't noises, it was crying.<p>

He slowly pushed the door open, and stepped inside to see that the girl had completely vanished and he looked around. "Wha-" He began, and he was cracked in the face with something hard. Whatever hit him, definitely managed to surprise him and he staggers back and something light brushes past him. And he knows it's her, because the heartbeat is rapid, and drumming loudly in his ears. When Damon managed to shake himself he moved quickly, again and then he was in front of her. She almost fell back and went to let out a scream and he put his hands up.

"I'm not going to hurt you" He said and she swallows.

"What...What do you want from me?" She asked, her voice his hoarse, and thick as if she hasn't done anything but scream and that confused Damon more.

"I found you, that's all" He said.

"Y-You found me?" She asked, confused.

"I did" He said and she shook her head furiously and just before she got to say anything else, finally his brother appeared.

Damon, though he would never admit it, was glad. He would end up losing his patience.

"What did you do?!" Stefan demanded and moved past him towards the girl.

She took a step back, even from him and it was then that Stefan stopped in his tracks.

"Marie?" He asked and she became confused.

"Who's...Who's Marie?" She asked.

"You are" Stefan said and Damon watched for the girl's reaction.

"My name isn't Marie"

"Then what is it?" Damon asked and she looked from his brother to him and their eyes locked.

"Astra" She breathed.

"Astra?" Stefan asked, glancing back at his brother, who shrugged and then took a calming approach, and gestured towards her clothes "Okay, Astra, what happened to you?"

Astra took a few moments, looking down at her clothes and then at her bruised skin, before replying. Her voice small, hoarse and thick, like it had been the first time she'd spoken.

"Hell"


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but my OC: I've decided that Astra is now faced by Kaya Scodelario. (I keep using her I know, but she fits the part)

**Author's Note: **To be honest I don't know why I even came up with this but eh. It's here. It's a Damon/OC and I hope ya'll enjoy! It's set in season 1, just after the Vamps get out of the tomb. This chapter might be a little short, but it's just a sample.

**Thank you: **For all the positive reviews and feedback! 3

* * *

><p><strong>There goes the Neighborhood <strong>

_"Hell" _

The word rang in the air, and the two brother's looked at each other before looking at her. "What do you mean, hell?" Stefan asked.

"They're going to come for me" She said quietly and then she looked away from both of them at the large broken window that the sun was shining through and she was almost dazed for a minute.

"Who?" Damon asked, just as confused as Stefan.

Astra didn't say anything else, and she looked around. "Where am I?"

"We call it the Boarding House. It's our home" Stefan said as Damon crossed his arms.

The girl had seemed to become bolder all of a sudden "Why am I here?"

"I told you" Damon began "I found you"

She looked down at her clothes before looking back at him. "Are you one of them?" She asked, unconsciously taking a step back, away from them.

"What would that be?" Stefan asked.

Astra hesitated, pushing her dark hair from her face. "Vampires"

The Salvatore brother's stared at her, as if not sure what to say. "Is that what you're running from?"

"I'm not running" She said dryly. "They left me because they thought I was dead."

"They just left you there?" Damon asked, unbelieving.

"They did horrible things to us" She said and she shook her head, her heart starting to stutter in her chest.

"Who's us?" Stefan asked, gently.

"Nicole" Astra breathed out "They tortured her, made her drink their blood and then did it again, and again"

"Who's Nicole?"

"I don't know who she was. She was there too"

"Where's "there?" Damon asked.

"California"

"You moved from California to here, looking like that?" Damon asked and Stefan threw a glare at him.

"No, they buried me here" She said, which confused them even more.

"But you're-"

"I dug myself out" She hissed. "I'm not one of _them _or one of _you_"

"How do you know we're Vampires?" Damon asked.

"Because you didn't answer my question"

"Who are they, Astra?" Stefan asked.

"They call themselves The Seekers" She said quietly and she shook her head. "And if they find out I'm alive, they'll kill us all"

* * *

><p>The girl was asleep on the couch, after having been compelled by Damon, due to going into hysterics when she saw Elena. It confused the brother's but they knew it must have had something to do with Katherine. But both Stefan and Elena were standing, as Damon fixed up the window.<p>

"So you have no idea where she came from?" Elena asked, Stefan.

"No, Damon found her"

Elena seemed to ignore the mention of Damon's name and she crossed her arms, looking down at her. "But you said she was like me"

"She's a Gilbert" Stefan said "Or, Marie was. I don't know if she is"

"Marie?"

"She was Jonathan Gilbert's daughter. Nobody knew apart from the Salvatore's, that he'd had a child out of wedlock, at the age of twenty two. So they said he'd adopted her" Damon said, Elena took notice of the comment.

"And Marie..died?" Elena asked.

"Yeah" Stefan sighed as he looked at the girl "Our father killed her, for helping us rescue Katherine"

"She tried to help you?"

"She was our best friend, of course she did. She didn't have Vampire blood in her system"

Damon changed the subject "I say we go to Pearl's, bust down the door, and annihilate the idiot that attacked us last night" He said.

"Yeah. And then what? We turn to the rest of that house of vampires and say, "Oops. Sorry?" Stefan asked.

"I can't believe you made a deal with her" Elena said.

"It was more like a helpful exchange of information. And it's not like I had a choice. She's... scary. Besides, she's gonna help me get Katherine back" Damon said.

"Of course she is. Damon gets what he wants, as usual. No matter who he hurts in the process" Elena said.

"You don't have to be snarky about it" Damon said.

"I woke up this morning to learn that all the vampires have been released from the tomb. I've earned snarky" Elena said.

"How long are you going to blame me for turning your birth mother into a vampire?"

"I'm not blaming you, Damon. I've accepted the fact that you're a self-serving psychopath with no redeeming qualities" Elena said.

"Ouch" Damon rolled his eyes.

"This isn't being very productive. We're gonna figure out a way to deal with Pearl and the vampires. Yeah? Hmm" Stefan said.

Damon left the room, rolling his eyes. Stefan embraced Elena.

"I'm sorry. He just makes me so cranky" Elena sighed.

"I know. He makes everybody cranky"

" So, what are we going to do?"

"Damon and I are gonna handle everything, I promise" Stefan said.

"Well, what about me? I can't just sit here and do nothing"

"That's exactly what you're gonna do, because that's what going to keep you safe" Stefan sighed.

"Which means nothing if you're not safe, too"

"What do you mean? I'm perfectly safe. I have Damon, the self-serving psychopath on my side" Stefan said.

"Well, that's comforting" Elena said sarcastically.

* * *

><p>"Do you want anything before I go?" Stefan asked and the girl's eyes pierced his.<p>

"No thank you" She said shaking her head and he nodded before going out of the living room.

"Hunting party?" Damon asked, as he fixed a clock.

"That guy did a number on me last night when he stabbed me. I gotta get my strength back up" Stefan said.

"I've got 2 liters of soccer mom in the fridge" He said and he looked at Stefan. "No?"

"We'll talk when I get back" Stefan said.

"All right. Give my regards to the squirrels" Damon said.

As Stefan left, Damon turned to look at the clock and out of the corner of his eye, he spotted her, her back to him, she was looking at something and he remembered something.

**Flashback: 25th July 1860 **

_She was looking at the roses lying across the ground, her hands twirling around them. _

_"Do you see anything you like, Miss Marie?" A voice asked and her bright blue eyes widened, a smile appearing on her lips. _

_"Well there is one thing" She said lightly. "I'd recognize your voice through a large crowd, Damon" _

_She turned to look at him and he almost laughed. "It's good to see you, Marie" _

_"And you" She said with a smile. _

_He put his arm out to her and she took it, the two of them began walking. "Did you miss me?" _

_"Of course, I can't do anything without my best friend" _

_"Will it always be just best friend?" He asked. _

_"I don't know, Damon. Do you want me just to be your best friend?" _

_Before he even got a chance to answer he heard his brother. "Damon!" _

**End Flashback: Present **

Damon shook his head before going back to fixing the clock.

* * *

><p>A while later, Damon was starting to become agitated. Maybe Stefan was with Elena, he glanced at Astra before calling Elena again, and when he ignored the phone call he grabbed his jacket and then looked at at Astra again and he sighed. He threw it to her, and it landed on her lap.<p>

"What's this for?" She asked.

"Let's go" He said and she furrowed her brows, but she got up and she followed after him anyway.

The car ride was silent, but the smell centering around Astra took Damon back so many years, he almost sighed out loud. They got to Elena's and he called once more, holding up his hand to Astra to keep quiet. She crossed her arms, her hands not showing under Damon's large jacket.

He moved her closer and shoved his phone into the pocket of the jacket before knocking on the door. It opened and Astra had to bite her tongue, Damon grabbed her arm and pulled him in with him.

"You're ignoring me" He said as he let go of Astra's arm.

" The 6 missed calls? Sorry. My phone is dead" Elena said. Her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Is Stefan here?" Damon asked.

"No. Why? Something wrong?" Elena asked.

"He went out in the woods and didn't come back. I can't get him on his phone. I figured he was here with you" Damon said as Astra looked around, fascinated.

"It's going straight to voice-mail. Where could he be?" Elena asked him.

"You're not going to like what I'm thinking" Damon said, seriously.

* * *

><p>Elena and Astra sat in the car, the rain pouring around them on the outside.<p>

"I apologize for earlier today" Astra said quietly. "I thought you were someone else"

"It's a common mistake around here, it's fine" Elena said sweetly. "You're Astra, right?"

"Yeah"

"I'm Elena"

"Nice to meet you"

It was then that Elena suddenly got out of the car and Astra, a bit surprised did the same.

"What happened? Where is he?" Elena demanded.

"They have him. I can't get in" Damon said, frustrated.

"Why not?" Elena asked.

"Because the woman who owns the house is compelled to not let me in"

"I can get in" Elena said and she went to walk past him but he grabbed her.

"You're not going in there" Damon said.

" I'm going!"

"You're not going in there"

Astra stared at them, he was in love with her, she could see it straight away and she pursed her lips. She'd seen this before, but where?

"Why are they doing this? What do they want with him?" Elena asked.

"Revenge. They want revenge"

"We have to do something" Astra said and they looked at her.

"I know" Damon nodded.

"We can't let them hurt him. We gotta get him out of there" Elena said.

"I know. Elena, I know. But I don't know how to get him out" Damon said.

* * *

><p>Elena, Astra and Damon were now in Alaric Saltzman's classroom.<p>

"Stefan's in the house. Damon's a vampire. He can't get in. We need you. I would go, but.." Elena began. .

"But your life is valuable. Yours, on the other hand is..." Damon said to Alaric.

"Stefan told me about your ring" Elena said.

"What about it?" Alaric asked.

"Let me recap...You tried to kill me. I defended myself. You died. Then according to my brother, your ring brought you back to life. Am I leaving anything out?" Damon asked.

"Yeah. The part where I try and kill you again. Only this time, I don't miss"

"Mr. Saltzman. Please. It's Stefan" Elena begged.

"I'm sorry, Elena. But it's not my problem" Alaric said.

" That's a shame. Because the woman in charge of the crowd can help you find your wife"

"You're lying" Alaric said.

"Am I? Why don't you ask her for yourself? Coward. Come on, you two" Damon said.

The three of them started to leave.

" All right! Wait. I'll go" Alaric called.

Alaric pulled out his arsenal of weapons.

"Teacher by day, vampire hunter by night" Damon said.

"I've you to thank for that" Alaric said.

"What are these?" Elena asked.

" Those are tranquilizer darts filled with vervain " Alaric said.

"Just get me in. I'll get Stefan out"

"That's your plan? You're just gonna take them all on yourself?" Elena asked.

"Well, I'll be a little stealthier than that, hopefully" Damon said.

"That plan isn't going to work, Damon" Astra said and Damon looked at her.

Elena picked up one of the vervain darts.

"Whoa. What are you doing?" Alaric asked.

"I'm going with you guys" Elena said.

" No. No. No. No. No way" Damon said. "Neither of you are"

"You need me. We can get in. You could distract them, and then We'll get Stefan out" Elena said.

"You'll both get yourselves killed. You're not going in there" Damon said.

" I'm going" Elena said.

"I am too. I know how to use these" Astra said as she picked up a vervain dart, they all looked at her in surprise. "You try spending nine years locked up with vampire's"

"Nine years?" Alaric asked.

"So, when you get me in, get out as quickly as you can. I know how to sneak around where they can't hear me. You'll basically just be in the way" Damon said.

"Damon, now is not the time to be the lone ranger"

"Fine. Elena, you can drive the getaway car. You're not going in the house" Damon said.

"You can't stop me. It's Stefan we're talking about here. You don't understand"

"Oh, I understand. I understand. He's the reason you live. His love lifts you up where you belong. I get it" Damon said.

"Can you just not joke around for 2 seconds?" Elena demanded.

"I can't protect you, Elena or, her" He said pointing at Astra. "I don't know how many vampires there are in there. That's how long it takes you to get your head ripped off. I have to be able to get in and get out. I can't be distracted with your safety. Or this will end up a bloodbath that none of us walk away from...Including Stefan. I know. I get it. I understand" Damon said.

"If we're gonna go, let's go" ALaric said.

* * *

><p>Elena and Astra were waiting in the car, Elena pulled a vervain syringe from her purse and examined it.<p>

"Did you steal that from Mr. Saltzman?"

"Yeah" Elena breathed.

A tree branch falls onto the car's windshield and both girls let out gasps.

* * *

><p>Astra moved first, pressing herself to the wall. Listening carefully, before she waved her hand and Elena jamp onto the porch too. They stayed by the wall to keep themselves hidden. They started to move on, but heard someone<p>

"Billy, Jacob, get back in here!"

Elena ran past Astra, grabbing her arm and then the two ran past the door and went down a staircase that leads to the cellar. They tried to open the door, but it was locked. Astra busts out one of the windowpanes, unlocked the door and opened it. A man was standing guard by a door at the end of the hallway. Astra peaked round, while Elena got her vervain syringe out and is ready to attack, but Damon gets to the man first. He seen them both.

"Are you insane?" He demanded.

* * *

><p>Astra stood near the door when Elena brought Stefan out and she almost tripped, Astra grabbed the other side of him. And helped her move.<p>

"Alright, go. Don't look back just go"

"What about you?" Astra asked.

"Go" He said and she nodded, Elena and Astra carrying Stefan to safety.

* * *

><p>"Uhh" Stefan groaned.<p>

"Can you make it?" Elena asked.

Stefan managed to groan out again and they slipped, all three of them going down. Elena cut her hand on a rock.

"Ohh. You okay?" Stefan asked.

"Yeah. Come on, keep going. Come on" Elena said and then Astra helped them up, heading towards the car. "Come on, it's right over here"

They managed to get Stefan into the car and Astra noticed it. "The ignition has been removed" She said quickly.

"Stefan..." Elena said.

A man then smashed the window, the two girls screaming. As the man dragged Stefan out, and started beating him."This is for Beth-Anne" He then stabbed him with a branch. " And this is for the tomb"

"No!" Elena screamed, and Astra stabbed the syringe into Fredrick's neck, he groaned and fell to the ground.

"Stefan..." Elena said as she sat down next to him and she pulled out the branch as he groaned. "Stefan...Stefan... No, Stefan. Stefan, Stefan. Stefan! Stefan!" She begged. "Stefan, please. Stefan! Oh, Stefan, please get up. Get up, Stefan. Stefan"

Astra sees noticed the man was getting up and she moved, picking up the branch from beside Stefan, and she twirled it around, before hitting the guy with it. He groaned, but he was regaining his strength. She continued hitting him with it. He grabbed the branch and he hit her head, with his hand and she fell to the ground, groaning. But when she turned, she saw Stefan stabbing the vampire in the heart.

"Stefan. Stefan!" Elena said.

Elena tried to make Stefan stop, but when Stefan turned around, his face was still in its vampire form. Elena took a step back, frightened by him. Stefan stopped. He looked horrified.

* * *

><p>Astra was sitting on the stool next to Alaric, and the man in front of her raised an eyebrow.<p>

"You don't look 21"

She narrowed her eyes "I wouldn't be saying I was if I wasn't" She said and he rolled his eyes and poured one for her.

"What age are you?" Alaric asked when the bartender moved away from them.

Astra looked at him as the liquid burned the back of her throat "Eighteen"

"You were nine when you were captured by vampires?"

"Yeah" She said.

"What did they do to you?"

She shook her head taking another drink "Not very nice things"

"So how do you know the Salvatore's?"

"I don't" She said making a face.

Damon joined the two of them, taking a seat at the other side of Alaric.

"That was fun." He said and Alaric looked at him, and Astra shook her head. "Oh, don't look at me like that. I know you hate me. Guess what? Everyone hates me. But you can't deny it. We were bad ass" He said.

Alaric didn't respond but he got up off his seat and he threw a right hook into Damon's face, and Damon groaned. Astra cringed.

"Uhh. Happens" Damon said.

* * *

><p>"Where is he, now?" Damon asked as Astra moved in beside him. Damon's jacket still wrapped around her shoulders.<p>

But Damon's head turned and he began walking. "Where are you going?"

He didn't answer so she followed him and they went upstairs, and they entered Stefan's room. Both of them seen blood bags that were empty. Then Astra looked past Damon, and saw Stefan sitting on the floor, drinking from another blood bag. He looked round at them, with a horrified look on his face.


End file.
